The Rye Brook

The Rye Brook rises in the north of Ashtead and flows across the common, under the M25, the southern boundary of Teazle Wood and joins into the river Mole just upstream from Fetcham Splash. Google map link It is part of the River Mole Catchment area. Since 2014 we have been working in partnership with other groups including Surrey Wildlife Trust, the Ashtead Rye Meadows Wetlands project www.ryemeadows.org.uk and the Lower Mole Countryside Mangement Project to improve the water quality and habitat for the length of the Rye brook.Throughout 2016 Teazle Wood volunteers have been carrying out regular kick sampling and litter picks. There is still work to do to get out some major dumped items and a build up of rubbish in the Rye brook, this will be easier to access during the winter months when the growth dies back.

Throughout 2016 Teazle Wood volunteers have been carrying out regular kick sampling and litter picks. There is still work to do to get out some major dumped items and a build up of rubbish in the Rye brook, this will be easier to access during the winter months when the growth dies back.

Surrey Wildlife Trust, Rye Brook at entrance, 17th April 2015

Jim Jones of Surrey Wildlife Trust led a group of volunteers at the Rye Brook along the south edge of Teazle Wood on 17th April, as part of an initiative by several organisations to clean up and improve the local river network. Jim and the team cleared rubbish and then made revetments and barriers to help the brook flow faster in places which will in time make deeper pools for fish.

Making a revetment

RiverSearch Surveying

In 2014 after training by Surrey Wildlife we started doing a quarterly Riversearch survey of the Rye Brook from the Kingston Road roundabout into as far as there is access into Teazle Wood. The first survey was to make a map of all the features including outfall pipes, type of bank, man-made or other barriers etc. Following surveys will note any changes.

RiverFly Surveying

A group of us have been trained by Surrey Wildlife to carry out Riverfly surveys. Kick samples are taken from the water in the brook and then we record the number of particular indicator species (caddis fly, mayfly, shrimp, olives). The surveys will be carried out regularly so that we can monitor any changes in the health of the water. We hope that with the clearing and improving works that are being done along the length of the Rye Brook that we will get a greater diversity and increase in numbers of species. In our first survey we did net a stickleback which is good news, but not such good news was finding a large crayfish which are a non-native invasive species.